Carpet stretcher and tacker



(No Model.) v

'I'. KEOGH 8v G. BLOCKMAN.

CARPET STRETCHER ANDYTAGKER.

No. 463,746. Patentedmov. 24, 1891.

. NrTnD STATES PATENT union,

THOMAS KEOGII AND CHRISTOPHER F. LOOKMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OI'IIO.

CARPET STRETCHER AND TACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming `part of Letters Patent No. 463,746, datedNovember 24, 1891. Application filed January 16, 1891. Serial No.377,987. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, THOMAS KEOGH, a citizen of the United States, andCHRISTOPHER F. LOOKMAN, a citizen of the Dominion lof Canada, bothresiding at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet Stretchers andTackers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements for stretching and holding carpetand tacking the same to the floor, the special object -of our inventionbeing to provide a simple device of novel construction adapted to beheld in the hand of the operator and while so held to engage with acarpet for stretching the same and at the same time holding a tack insuch 'a position that as the carpet is properly stretched the tack maybe forced through the same and hold it in the position in which it hasbeen stretched by the operator. Ve attain this object by theconstruction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aside elevation of a device embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a partiallongitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view on the line Qc in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view indetail of the tack-holding device.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters j of reference in theseveral views.

In the said drawings, A represents-the handle of the device, which maybe formed integral, and B the supporting-frame connected to said handleor cast integral therewith, as the case may be. The supporting-frame Bis preferably provided with a central longitudinal opening B', in whichis located a swinging arm C, pivoted at a by a suitable pin or rivet tothe frame B, and provided on its outer or free extremity with a curveddownwardly-extending projection b, with an enlarged head b'. Thesupporting-frame B is provided at its forward end with a transversehousing B2, cored or otherwise hollowed out to form a pocket B3, theside walls of which are extended up to form projecting flanges c.lVithin the pocket thus formed within the housing B2 are pivotedswinging jaws D and D', the pivotal point cl of each beinglocated nearthe top, and the front edge of each of said jaws being each formed witha tapered concave depression d' on its inner face and on the outsidewith a stop projection d2, adapted to come in contact with the top ofthe end walls of the pocket B3 and form a stop for the same when thelower ends of said jaws are closed together, as shown in Fig. 3. Thejaws are held normally in this position by small springs d3, whichextend from suitable pockets in said jaws to the end walls of thehousing B2. The downwardly-extending projection b on the swinging arm Ois formed on the arc of a circle struck from the center of the pivotalpoint c, and isadapted as the arm is moved about its pivotal center tobe guided by the sides of the longitudinal opening B in thesupporting-frame and pass between the jaws D' and D2 and press the sameoutwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. This swinging arm Cis normally held in a raised position by a spring a', resting at ythebottom on the supporting-frame B and at the top against the bottom ofthe arm C, a small projection a2 on said armbeing adapted to come incontact with the supporting-frame B and limit the movement of said arm.

On the bottom of the transverse housing B2 and alongthe front edgethereof are placed a series of engaging projections e, which are madesufficiently sharp at their outer extremities to engage with the carpetor other fabric to be stretched. In operation these projections areforced intol the fabric to be stretched, and by a pressure on the handlethe fabric is moved to the desired point. The tack is in serted betweenthe jaws D and D', and when the carpet or other fabric has reached apoint where it is desirable to have it fastened a stroke on the head b'of the swinging arm O forces the tack through the jaws into the carpet,the said jaws opening as the tack is forced through, at the same timeforming a guide therefor to hold it in an upright position.

It will be understood that the jaws are normally closed and that thetack may be inserted therein at any time and remain therein during thetime the carpet is being pushed or stretched to the desired position, itbeing ready to receive the blow transmitted to the head b' at any time,which thus drives the tack into the carpet and secures it immediatelyback of the point at which it is engaged by the projections on thehousing. v

It is obvious that the device may be constructed entirely of metal, orthe operating parts may be of metal and the handle of wood. A claw E maybe employed at the outer eX- tremity of the handle, if desired, which,when formed of metal, may be cast integral therewith. By having' thejaws pivoted at their front and top edges a slight movement only of thejaws is produced at this point as the lower end of said jaws are openedor'closed. The tapered conical depressions in said jaws are adapted,when placed adjacent to each other, to form guides for the tack, whichhold itin vertical position as it is being forced through said jaws bythe action of the projectiou Z).

As shown, the arm C and its projection Z) are intended to be used with ahammer or other device by which a blow is imparted to the head h; but itis obvious that it may be modified, so that the arm C may be struck withthe hand or operated in any other suitable manner to drive the tackthrough the holding-jaws l) D.

The transverse housing B2, which supports the holdin gj aws, ispreferably arranged at an acute angle to the base-lineof thesupportingframe B, the projections e being placed as near the front edgeof the base of said housing as practicable. rlhis construction, togetherwith the curved form of the projection h, permits thecarpet to be forcedup against the wall or base-board, while the outer extremity or head ofthe hammer stands considerably removed from said wall or base-board, soas to secure freedom in operating said arm when tacking the edge of acarpet close to a vertical wall or base-board.

It is obvious that the device admits of various modifications in itsmechanical constructions, and we do not, therefore, limit ourselves tothe exact constructions shown and described, but claim as our invention-In a carpet tacker and stretcher, the con1- bination, with asupporting-frame having at one end a suitable handle and at the other atransverse housing, of movable jaws arranged in said housing andsupported on pivoted bearings which pass transversely through said jawsnear the top, said jaws being provided with tapered concave depressionson their adjacent faces adapted to form a tapered pocket between thesame and provided on the opposite sides with stopproj-ections adapted ina normal position to close the top of said housing, springs in saidhousing below said stop projections to hold the jaws in their normalposition, and a swinging projection adapted to pass through said jaws,substantially as specifled.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 12th day ofJanuary, A. l). 1891.

THOMAS KEOGH. CHRLTOPHER l. LOCKMAN. lVitnesses:

Guns. I. WELcu, l?. M. Jonas.

